History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 157

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III > Part 157

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James Torbert, Jr., son of James and Hannah (Burleigh) Torbert, was born in Upper Makefield, March 14, 1760, and died there. On April 2, 1792, his father conveyed to him 128 acres of land in Upper Makefield, which had been con- veyed to James, Sr., by the heirs of Will- iam Keith in 1775. He married, Febru-

ary 6. 1787, Margaret McNair, born Feb- ruary 8. 1767, daughter of James and Martha (Keith) McNair, and grand- daughter of Samuel McNair, born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1699, of Scottish parents, and came to this country in 1732 and settled in Upper Makefield. His son James was born in 1733, and married Martha Keith, daughter of William Keith, who came from the north of Ire- land, presumably with the MeNairs, and married Margaret Stockton, of New Cas- tle, by whom he had nine children. None of his descendants in the male line now reside in Bucks. James and Margaret

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

(MeNair) Torbert were the parents of eleven children: Absalom died in in- fancy; Martha, married George Bennett; Hannah, married John Craven; Ann, married Isaac Vanartsdalen: Alice, never married; James McNair, who married Mary Simpson, and for his second wife Elizabeth Dalby; Elizabeth, who mar- ried Thomas L. Wynkoop; Samuel, who never married; John Keith, see forward; Charles, who married Phebe Lanning; and Margaret, unmarried.

John Keith Torbert, son of James and Margaret (McNair) Torbert, was born in Upper Makefield in 1802, and died there March 20, 1875. He lived on the old homestead called "Sylvan Retreat," that had been the property of his ancestors since early colonial times. His was a quiet retired life in scenes that he loved. Deeply interested in all that pertained to the community in which he lived, he gave glad service as ruling elder in the Sole- bury Presbyterian church, as had his ancestors for two generations, both pa- ternal and maternal. He was also a pio- neer in Sunday school work, and deeply interested in all educational work. He served for over a quarter of a century as president of the local school board. He married Euphemia Van Artsdalen Car- ver, daughter of Job and Maria (Van Artsdalen) Carver, and a descendant of William Carver, who settled in Byberry in 1682. John Keith and Euphemia (Carver) . Torbert were the parents of the following children: Henry M. Tor- bert, rector of St. Stephen's church, Bos- ton, Massachusetts; Maria V. K. Tor- bert, of Newtown, who was for fourteen years principal of St. Mary's College, Dallas, Texas; Margaret McNair Tor- bert, of Newtown; William Keith Torbert, deceased; and Alfred Carver Torbert, treasurer of the Galveston and Santa Fe Railroad Company.

C. Torbert married Rosanna Labatt, of Galveston, May 7, 1891, and they have four children: John Keith, Emily Constance, Margaret Mc- Nair, and Alfred Carver.

at Galveston, Texas. Alfred

The Torbert family and the families with whom they intermarried, the Keiths, McNair or Macnair, Burley or Burleigh, were of the sturdy Scotch- Irish Presbyterian stock, strongly im- bned with a love of home, clan and land, which had its real root in the love of re- ligious liberty, which inspired a love of the country where freedom of conscience was recognized and made them among the most patriotic of citizens. They clung tenaciously to the Scotch Presby- terian faith, and were devout supporters of the Newtown and Solebury Presby- terian churches, one or more of the fam- ily in each generation serving as elders. The later generations intermarried with the Holland families of Wynkoop, Slack and others, who like them were devout supporters of the church and stood for

integrity and the best interests of the county in which they lived, and those of the family who removed beyond our bor- deres were pioneers of Christianity, and became eminent in the affairs of the sec- tions where they located.

OLIVER MYERS, a farmer and com- mission merchant living in Plumstead township, represents a family of Ger- man lineage that was established in Bucks county more than a century ago. The first representative of the name in this country settled near what is now called Sumneytown, in Montgomery county. John Myers, the great-grand- father of Oliver Myers, was & resident of Bedminster township, where he re- mained until his death. His paternal grandfather, Henry F. Myers, lived and died in Plumstead township. In early life he learned the mason's trade, which he followed for a number of years and eventually gave his attention to farming. He was a member of the Mennonite church. He married Miss Elizabeth Fretz, who was likewise a native of Bucks county and of German lineage. They became the parents of the follow- ing named: Henry; William, married Elizabeth Myers; John, married Rachel Myers; Joseph F., married Barbara Fretz; Reuben, married Hannah High; Catherine, deceased; Barbara, married Abram Nash; and Annie, the wife of William Fretz.

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Henry F. Myers, son of Oliver Myers, was born in Plumstead township, August 12, 1817. He was reared upon his father's farm and in his youth learned the mason's trade, to which he de- voted his energies for seven years. He then began farming, which he followed for forty years, being one of the ener- getic, enterprising and highly respected agriculturists of his locality. As his financial resources increased he made judicious investments in real estate, be- coming the owner of three valuable farms. September 19, 1845, he married Miss Anna Krout, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Wisler) Krout. They became the parents of seven children: Oliver; John, married Sarah Myers; Leidy married Sally Shelly; Nathan, died at the age of nineteen years; Susanna, wife of John K. Landus; Amanda, died at the age of eight years; and Elizabeth, wife of Abram L. Myers.

, Oliver Myers, son of Henry F. and Anna (Krout) Myers, was born in Plum- stead township Bucks county. He obtained a common school education and in his youth assisted his father in the improvement and cultivation of the old home farm, re- maining under the parental roof until twenty-four years of age. In 1869 he purchased the farm upon which he now resides, and has since given his atten-

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

tion to general agricultural pursuits in connection with the commission business. During thirty-four years he has only twice failed to make a weekly visit to the Philadelphia market. His business affairs have been conducted with capa- bility, and he has so directed his labors as to gain a very desirable competence. Mr. Myers exercises his right of fran- chase in support of the men and meas- ures of the Republican party, and has been honored with a number of local offices, the duties of which he has dis- charged with promptness and fidelity. He was supervisor of his township for four years. was school director for six years, and has been the appraiser for the Dublin Protective Company for nine or ten years. His religious faith is indi- cated by his membership with the Old Mennonite church. Oliver Myers wedded Miss Catherine Leatherman and they have become the parents of five children, of whom one died in infancy. The others are Newberry L:, a resident farmer of Plumstead township; Harry L., who is engaged in the fertilizer bus- iness at Doylestown; Willis L .; and Clara L., at home.

LEDNUM L. WHITE, agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia, and a representative of an English and French origin, was born in Lower Makefield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1841, a son of Charles A. and Martha D. (Larue) White, natives of Falls township, the for- mer named having been a farmer and one of the early settlers of that place. Charles A. White (father) was a farmer and auctioneer by occupation, and resided on a farm in Lower Makefield township from 1830 until his death, which oc- curred in 1862. He and his wife, who is also deceased, were the parents of seven children, namely: Caroline, Julia, Abbie, Ella, Anna, Martha, and Lednum L. White.

Lednum L. White was born and reared on the farm whereon he now resides, and the house in which his birth oc- curred was used during the revolution- ary period as headquarters for a party of soldiers, whose meals were prepared in the large oven in the old fireplace which extended across the whole of one end of the structure, which is built of stone, and still standing. Since that time the house has been thoroughly remod- eled and equipped with more modern ap- pliances. For a number of years Mr. White dealt extensively in agricultural implements, this proving highly remun- crative, but for some years has served in the capacity of agent for the Penn Mu- tual Life Insurance Company, one of the leading corporations along that line. There is an extensive pond on his prop-

erty in Lower Makefield township, which is used for pumping water for the Bound Brook railroad, and also in putting up ice in winter. He is one of the prom- inent and influential citizens of his com- munity, and has been chosen to serve in many political offices, among them being that of justice of the peace, in which capacity he rendered capable and efficient service for several terms. He is an ad- herent of the Republican party, and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In 1865 Mr. White- was united in marriage to Georgiana Scat- tergood, who bore him three children: Fretz E., deceased; Emma, and Helen. Mrs. White is a member of the Episcopal church.

CHARLES MONROE DOLL, the cap- able and efficient station master at Elkins Park, near the city of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, was born in Quakertown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1869, son of Charles and Amanda (Althouse) Doll, and grandson of Christopher and (Rosenberger) Doll. Charles Doll (father) was born in Milford township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania.

Charles M. Doll attended the public schools of his native town and graduated from the high school in the class of 1887. He then took up the profession of teaching at the Salem and Keystone public schools in Springfield township, Bucks county, in the meantime assisting as station agent in the employ of the North Pennsylvania Rail- road Company at various places until 1890, when he became station agent at Shelly Sta- tion, where he remained for a period of six months. He was then removed to Hat- field, later to Ashbourne, and May 15. 1899, at the opening of the station at Elkins Park, near Philadelphia, was promoted to that position and has since fulfilled the du- ties pertaining thereto with ability and zeal. Apart from his services as an employee of the railroad company, Mr. Doll takes an ac- tive part in local affairs. He is a Republi- can in politics, and exercises a certain in- fluence in behalf of the party whose prin- ciples he advocates. He has served as dele- gate to county conventions, and in various other ways has aided its interests. He is a member of the Mckinley Republican Club, at Ogontz, of which he is treasurer. He is actively identified with various fra- ternal organizations, and has attained the thirty-second degree in Freemasonry. IIe is a member of Philadelphia Consistory, Abington Chapter No. 245. of Jenkintown, and past master of Shiloh Lodge No. 558, of Lansdale. Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of the Knights of Malta, of Quakertown. Knights of the Golden Eagle. No. 40. of Quakertown, and Lodge No. 631. Junior Order of United American Mechanics, of Philadelphia.

Mr. Doll married. August 22, 1901, Car- oline Frances, daughter of John and Anna

HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 727

(McLoughlin ) Rouse, of Ogontz, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Doll are members of St. Paul's Episcopal church, at Ogontz, in the affairs of which Mrs. Doll takes an active interest, serving as teacher in the Sunday school connected therewith, and a member of the Order of King's Daughters.

MARGARET WATERMAN RICKEY, of Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, is a de- scendant of early settlers in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Alexander Rickey, her great-great-grandfather, was born in Edin- burgh, Scotland, in the year 1688, and died in Lower Makefeld township in 1758, at the age of seventy years. He came to Penn- sylvania when a young man, and married in 1715, Anne Keirl, daughter of Thomas and Julian Keirl, of Lower Makefield, and in 1725 with his wife and children brought a certificate from Abington ( Philadelphia county ) Monthly Meeting of Friends to Falls Meeting, Bucks county, and settled in Lower Makefield, where he was a prom- inent farmer and wool grower. Alexander and Anne (Keirl) Rickey were the parents of ten children: Thomas, born 2 mo. 15. 1716, married Hannah Dowdinty; John, born II mo. 17, 1717, married Mary Hutch- inson ; Katharine, born 8 mo. 20, 1720, ilar- ried, first, Randal Hutchinson, and (sec- ond) Joseph Milnor; Alexander, born 10 mo. 26, 1723; Rachel, born 12 mo. 26, 1726, married Sims Betts; James, born 9 mio. 3, 1729; Anne, born I ino. 26, 1732. married Mahlon Kirkbride, Jr .; Mary, born Io mo. 10, 1734, married John Derbyshire; Sarah, born 5 mo. 24, 1737; Keirl, born 6 mio. 2, 1740, married Sarah Milnor.

John Rickey, second son of Alexander and Anne (Keirl) Rickey, born January 17, 1717-18, died in Trenton. New Jersey. Sep- tember 3, 1798. He lived in Trenton during its occupancy by the Hessians in 1776. and several of them quartered themselves in his house. When they were attacked and de- feated by Washington's army on the morn- ing of December 26, 1776, a party of the

Hessians surrendered to Washington's troops in John Rickey's orchard. John Rickey married Mary Hutchinson, daughter of John and Sarah (Burges) Hutchinson, of Falls, born February 28, 1728. Iler ma- ternal ancestry is given in this volume, in "The Burges Family." Her father, Jolin Hutchinson, was for many years and up to his death in 1745 an overseer of Falls Meet- ing of Friends. He married first Phebe Kirkbride. and had children: John. mar- ried Ann Stanaland; Thomas, married Eliz- abeth Higgs; Joseph, married Esther Stanaland; Michael, married Ann Lucas ; Randal. married Katharine Rickey as his second wife, his first being Elizabeth Harvey ; Hannah, married a Murphy. John Hutchinson married (second) 3 1110. 24, 1726, Sarah Burges, daughter of Samuel and Elenor Burges, of Falls, who died in

1748. They were the parents of four chil- dren-Samuel, Priscilla, Mary, above men- tioned, and Phebe. Thomas Hutchinson married Dorothy Storr, at Beverly, York- shire, England, and came to New Jersey in the ship "Kent" in 1677, and was one of the proprietors of West Jersey. He and his wife Dorothy lived and died at Hutch- inson Manor, on the eastern bank of the Delaware, above Trenton, New Jersey. He died about 1698, leaving a large landed es- tate to his son John, whom Miss Rickey claims as the John Hutchinson, before men- tioned, who settled in Bucks county.

Randal Rickey, son of John and Mary (Hutchinson ) Rickey, was born near Tren- ton, New Jersey, December 4, 1766, and died at Trenton, December 3, 1802. He was a hardware merchant at Trenton, and a member of Friends' Meeting. He married September II, 1794, Margaret Waterman, daugliter of Benoni and Sarah Waterman, born at Barbadoes, West Indies, and a member of the Episcopal church.

Randal Hutchinson Rickey, son of Ran- dal and Margaret (Waterman) Rickey, was born in Trenton. New Jersey, Feb- ruary 10, 1799, and died in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 6, 1855. He was for twenty years city and county engineer at Cincin- nati. In religion he was a Friend. He married in Philadelphia, March 25, 1825, Susannah McAulley, and they were the parents of Margaret Waterman Rickey.

FRANK HEATON. In colonial days the Heaton family was established in Bucks county. Edwin Heaton, the grandfather, was born in Hilltown township, in 1795, and in early life established a grocery trade in Philadelphia, which he conducted with success up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1826. He married Miss Eliza Mathias, and they became the parents of two children; Mathias; and Mary Ann, the wife of John Henry Gile.

Mathias Heaton, father of Frank Heaton, was born in Philadelphia, October 18, 1825, and obtained his education in a private school at Doylestown. Subsequently he engaged in teaching for a number of years in a school house that stood on a farm now occupied by his son Frank. Later he turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits, which he continued up to the time or his death, which occurred March 24, 1886. His political allegiance was given the Dem- ocracy, and his fellow townsmen, recog- nizing his worth and ability, called him to local office. He served as justice of the peace for a number of years, and also held the position of school director. He was a member of the Doylestown Presbyterian church, and served as one of the building committee when the new church edifice was erected. He married Miss Elizabeth Garges, a daughter of John and Margaret Garges, and they became the parents of three children: Nathan M., born Novem-

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

be, 24, 1850, died February 21, 1886; Frank; and John G., bern May 17, 1854, and ded m infancy.

I rank Heaton, the only surviving mem- ber of the family, was born October 25, 1832, in the house where he now resides, and it has continuously been his home. He carly became familiar with the duties and labor; that fall to the lot of the agricul- tmist, and throughout his business career has carri d on farming. He was prepared for life's practical duities by thorough train- ing in the common schools and in the Doylestown Seminary. llis interest in community affairs is that of a law-abiding citizen who desires the substantial in- provement and upbuilding of his county, and therefore gives carnest co-operation to many movements for the general good. He belongs to the Doylestown Presbyterian church, of which he is one of the trustees. In politics he is a Democrat, and has held the office of school director for several years. In 1902 he was elected justice of the peace by a large majority. although the Republican vote in his locality is usually the stronger. His election therefore was a direct compliment to his ability, and an in- dication of the confidence and trust reposed in him by his fellow townsmen.

Mr. Heaton married Miss Catherine M. Histand, a daughter of Joshua and Cather- ine Histand, and they have one son, Ed- win M, born December 10, 1880.

EDWARD LIVEZEY, a farmer and .commission merchant of Buckingham town-hip, was born near Buckmanville, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, January 30. 1860 His paternal grandfather. Edward Livezey, was a farmer of Philadelphia county He married Mary Shallcross, and among their children was Jacob Livezey, whose berth occurred near Fox Chase in Philadelphia county, May 5. 1842. He was reared in that county, receiving the benefit of a collegiate education, and at the age of eighteen years began teaching, which profession he followed for two or three

farming

terms. Ile then in began Upper Makefield township. Bucks county, and i 1860 purchased and removed to the faim in Buckingham township upon which Edward Livezey now resides. There he continued to engage actively in agricultural pursuits until 1888, when he sold this prop- erty to his son and established his home in Upper Makefield township, where he has since Ived. He is one of the respected and worthy resident of his community, and enjoys the respect of many with whom he ha, come in contact. llis political views acord with Republican principles, and he ha- filled several township offices. In his religious faith a Friend, he is quite active in tle Wrightstown Friends" meeting. He married Hannah C. Smith.

Edward Livezey, only child of Jacob and Hannah C. ( Smith) Livezey, was reared

in his parents' home and attended the pub- lic schools. When but seventeen years of age he began the study of telegraphy, and for some time was employed in the Bald- win Locomotive works in Philadelphia as a telegraph operator. He next accepted a position in a store in Yardleyville, where lie remained for a short time, after which he returned home and became his father's assistant in the operation of the farm in Buckingham township. This he purchased in 1888, and as the years have come and gone he has not only cultivated his land, but has also carried on extensive commis- sion business in connection with farming, shipping his produce to New York city. He is an extensive raiser of pigeons, breed- ing between eight and ten hundred a year. In his business he has prospered and the secret of his success lies in close applica- tion, keen sagacity and unfaltering indus- try. In his political views he, too, is a Republican. Mr. Livezey was married in the spring of 1888 to Miss Ruth Betts, a daughter of William and Emily ( Walton) Betts, of Solebury township. They have two children : Charles W. and Martha.

HENRY T. WILLIAMS, the subject of this sketch, was born at Neath, Glamor- ganshire, England, in the year 1855, and is the oldest of five sons. His father was John Williams, who for many years was a resident of Hokendanqua, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. He attended and completed the course of the British School in his native town and subsequently completed the course of the Davies Academy, also an institution of his native town. At the age of fifteen he secured an appointment as clerk in the general offices of the Great Western Railway Company, located at Neath, and was assigned to the private office of Joshua Williams, general manager of the road. At the age of seventeen he, together with the rest of his family, came to America, taking up their residence at Ilokendauqua. During the time Mr. Will- iams lived at Hokendanqua he served an apprenticeship to the machinist's trade in the shops of the Thomas Iron Company, later taking a course in general literature at the Lehigh University, South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

For two years, beginning in the fall of 1877, he taught school at what is known as Almont, in Rockhill township, and at the end of that time was elected assistant teacher of the Sellersville grammar school, which position he held for three years, when he was elected to the principalship of the Sellersville high school. He remained in that position for a period of eleven years. During the winter of 1892 and 1893 he was appointed professor of mathematics and business calculations at the Peirce Business School of the city of Philadel- phia, and placed in charge of the graduat- ing department. Mr. Williams resigned

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HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY.

from the principalship of the Sellersville schools during the Christmas holidays of 1892, and took up his duties at the Peirce School in January, 1893. He remained at this institution until the summer of 1898, when he resigned, having completed a period of twenty-one years in the profes- sion of teaching, two years of which were spent in Rockhill township, Bucks county, nearly fourteen years in the borough of Sellersville, Bucks county, and nearly six years in the Peirce School at Philadelphia.

After leaving the Peirce School, Mr. Williams gave his attention to completing the study of law, which he had begun while teaching at the Peirce School, and on the twentieth day of April, 1900. he was ad- mitted to practice in the courts of the city and county of Philadelphia. and very shortly afterwards was admitted to prac- tice in the courts of Bucks county. Mr. Williams has been a resident of Sellers- ville since the year 1879. and during the years of his teaching in the Peirce School and of his practice in the city and county of Philadelphia has made daily trips from his home at Sellersville to and from the city. His family residence is situated on North Main street in the borough of Sell- ersville, and is pleasantly located.

In 1881 Mr. Williams was married to Harriet Newell Lippincott, youngest daugh- ter of Mr. Tyler Lippincott, a long time resident of Rockhill township, and later of the borough of Sellersville. His family consists of two children: Bessie L., born in January, 1885; and Martha M., born in July, 1891.

Mr. Williams, in politics, is a Republican. He has never sought any political office, although he has been active in his work for the success of the Republican party. He belongs to the Presbyterian church, be- ing a member of the Old Pine Street church, located at Fourth and Pine streets, Philadelphia. .

ELMER P. WEISEL. The pioneer an- cestor of the Weisel family of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, was Michael Weisel. who with his wife and family emigrated from the Palatinate to Pennsylvania in 1732. crossing the Atlantic in the ship "Pink." which arrived at Philadelphia, October 17, 1732. with sixty-one Palatines and their families, making in all one hundred and sixty-nine persons. from Rotterdam. On the list of these Palatines appear the names of Michael and Frederick Wyssel and their wives and children. Michael Weisel was accompanied by his wife Susanna and three sons, Jacob, Michael and George. The family probably found their way into Bucks county within a few years of their arrival, followed the trend of German immigra- tion up the Schuylkill and her eastern tributaries into upper Bucks county. then already partly settled by their compatriots. 'On February 15, 1743, there was surveyed

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History of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware to the present time, Vol. III, Part 157

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921 Publication date: 1905 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Davis, W. W. H. (William Watts Hart), 1820-1910; Ely, Warren S. (Warren Smedley), b. 1855; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1040